Zoom In!

Zoom In! features 18 U.S. history units for grades 6-8 that include primary and secondary sources to supplement regular instruction. Primary sources have been “modified or adapted” for middle school readers. Highlighted academic and historical terms are defined. Browse lessons under six NAEP Historical Periods. Lessons are aligned with Common Core Standards. Teachers must register (free) to access the materials.

The last lesson is “Silence = Death: Confronting the AIDS Epidemic”. Students examine the 1987 “Silence = Death” poster and read a primary source document about the poster and AIDS activism. Students then write a three-paragraph essay that explains the message of the poster and how it was part of the larger AIDS activist movement. The Teacher Guide (
PDF, 4 MB, 25 pgs.) covers procedures and assessment. Documents (
PDF, 811 KB, 2 pgs.) include a copy of the poster and a 1989 Spin Magazine article describing ACT UP, AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, and the poster.

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